Reactions to patient death: the lived experience of critical care nurses

Dimens Crit Care Nurs. 2012 Jul-Aug;31(4):252-9. doi: 10.1097/DCC.0b013e318256e0f1.

Abstract

A qualitative study using phenomenological descriptive design was conducted to explore critical care nurses' experiences with patient death. Several themes emerged as a result of this study: coping, personal distress, emotional disconnect, and inevitable death. Understanding critical care nurses' reactions to patient death may help to improve the care provided to critically ill dying patients and their families and to meet the needs of the nurses who care for them.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Attitude to Death*
  • Critical Care / psychology*
  • Emotions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Nurse-Patient Relations
  • Nurses / psychology*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Qualitative Research